Diesel Mechanics Technology
Types of Degrees Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many diesel mechanics technology/technician graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate | 3,670 |
| Basic Certificate | 2,532 |
| Associate Degree | 2,459 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 25 |
What Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to diesel mechanics technology/technician and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Skills for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
When studying diesel mechanics technology/technician, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Abilities for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
What Can You Do With a Diesel Mechanics Technology Major?
People with a diesel mechanics technology/technician degree often go into the following careers:
| Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 9.3% | $47,350 |
Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Diesel Mechanics Technology?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of diesel mechanics technology/technician majors is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 29 |
| Black or African American | 116 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 400 |
| White | 1,532 |
| International Students | 6 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 376 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician. About 0.2% of those with this major are international students.
How Much Do Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
The median salary for someone in a career related to diesel mechanics technology/technician is $49,150. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Diesel Mechanics Technology
Some careers associated with diesel mechanics technology/technician require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to diesel mechanics technology/technician have obtained the following education levels.
| Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 30.1% |
| High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 41.0% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 18.0% |
| Some College Courses | 7.3% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.6% |
Online Diesel Mechanics Technology Programs
The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
| Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
| Certificate (1-2 years) | 210 | 0 |
| Certificate (2-4 Years) | 39 | 0 |
| Associate’s Degree | 174 | 0 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
| Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
| Master’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
| Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 0 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Diesel Mechanics Technology Worth It?
The median salary for a diesel mechanics technology/technician grad is $49,150 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 23% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $185,000 after 20 years!
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Trades Related to Diesel Mechanics Technology
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to diesel mechanics technology/technician.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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